I stood nervously in front of my mother, my heart racing as I tried to find the right words to say. I had been thinking about it for weeks, but now that the moment had arrived, I was filled with anxiety.
"Mom," I began tentatively, "I want to talk to you about something."
My mother looked up from her book, her eyes scanning my face. "What is it, honey?"
"I've been thinking about moving to Maryland," I said in a quiet voice.
My mother's expression hardened, and her lips tightened into a thin line. "Absolutely not," she said firmly. "You are not going anywhere without telling Felix the truth."
I felt my shoulders slump in disappointment. I had hoped that my mother would be more understanding. "Mom, I know I need to tell him. But I'm scared."
"Iris, you can't keep running away from your problems," my mother said sternly. "You need to face them head-on." I let out a sigh.
"I know," I said, feeling defeated. "But what if he doesn't want to be a part of our lives?"
My mother's expression softened slightly, and she placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I understand that you're scared, Iris. But you can't keep living your life in fear. You need to tell Felix the truth and face the consequences."
I nodded, taking in my mother's words. She was right, as always. I couldn't keep running away from my problems. I needed to face them head-on, no matter how difficult it may be.
"I know," I said, mustering up some courage. "I'll tell Felix the truth. But can I still move to Maryland?"
My mother hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'll think about it," she said finally. "But only if you promise to tell Felix the truth before you leave."
"I promise," I said, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. It was a small step forward, but it was a step nonetheless.
"Iris," my mother said, her voice stern once again. "Remember, you can't always run away with Felix. You need to face your problems and deal with them."
"I know, Mom," I said, grateful for her guidance. "I'll try my best."
I decided to go to the hospital to visit Isla. To let my frustration leave me. As I arrived at her room, I found her talking to Doctor Colin again. They were laughing and talking about something, and I couldn't help myself not to smile at the sight of them. I was about to leave the room, to let them talk more, but I was about to leave when I saw Felix at the nurse station. I quickly closed the door.
"I'm sorry to disturb you," I said to Isla, but she smiled and told me it was okay. It didn't take long before Doctor Colin left us alone.
"I'm sorry I took away your moment with Doctor Colin, How are you?" I ask I held her hands.
"It's okay, don't worry about it," Isla said, squeezing my hand. "I'm doing okay, just tired."
I could see the fatigue in her eyes, and it pained me to see her like this. "I wish I could do something to help," I said, feeling helpless.
"Just being here with me is enough," Isla said, giving me a weak smile. "It's been hard being in the hospital, but having you guys here makes it a little easier."
Isla gave my hand another squeeze. We sat in silence for a few moments, just holding hands and taking comfort in each other's presence. It was a simple moment, but it meant everything to me.
As I sat there beside her. I couldn't help but think about how much Isla meant to me. We had been through so much together, and I couldn't imagine my life without her.
Isla must have sensed my thoughts because she looked at me and smiled. "What's on your mind?" she asked.
"I was just thinking about how much you mean to me," I said, feeling a little embarrassed.
Isla's smile grew wider. "You mean a lot to me too, Iris," she said. "I don't know how I would have gotten through this without you."
Tears welled up in my eyes at her words. "I love you, Isla," I said, my voice choked with emotion.
"I love you too, Iris," she said, and we both hugged each other tightly.
At that moment, everything else faded away. The hospital, our problems, even Felix. It was just me and Isla, holding each other and finding solace in our love for each other.
As we pulled away from the hug, I knew that I needed to tell Felix about Lily. It was time to face the truth, no matter how difficult it might be. But for now, I just wanted to be there for Isla, to be her support system, and to remind her that she was not alone.

"Isla, I need to tell you something," I said suddenly, breaking the silence. "I've been avoiding Felix because I haven't told him about Lily."
Isla's expression softened, and she looked at me with understanding. "I know it's hard, but you have to tell him," she said gently. "You can't keep running away from this."
"I know," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm just scared of what he'll think of me."
"He will understand." I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation I knew I needed to have with Felix. It wouldn't be easy, but I knew we needed to move forward.
"Thank you, Isla," I said, giving her hand a final squeeze. "I needed to hear that."
My mind raced with different scenarios, trying to predict how Felix might react. Would he be angry? Hurt? Disappointed? I knew that no matter how he reacted, it would be difficult to handle.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. I knew that the longer I waited, the harder it would be to tell Felix the truth. I needed to be honest with him, no matter how much it hurt.
I practiced different phrases in my head, trying to find the right words to say. Should I start by apologizing? Should I explain why I kept it a secret? I wanted to be sincere and open, but also didn't want to come across as insincere or make excuses.
I knew that this conversation would change everything.